Walking the talk at Ardmona orchard

Calimna Orchards will host a sort of crisis meeting next month, when APAL descends on the site to ‘‘explore the immediate challenges’’ caused by COVID-19.

Orchardists and industry workers who cannot make it in person will be able to view the AgFirst and Michael Crisera (from Fruit Growers Victoria) presentations online.

The orchard walk will kick-off with a light lunch before presentations begin at 2.30 pm.

The aim is to discuss how COVID-19 has reshaped Goulburn Valley orchards and the industry.

‘‘Has COVID-19 moved us closer to labour-less orchards — and if so, what will be different about its design, technology, operation and production costs?’’ the invitation reads.

Ross Wilson and Craig Hornblow from AgFirst will discuss: lessons learned from the pandemic, vision moving forward, evaluating technology performance and how to become an employer of choice.

The event will be held on Monday, March 15, from 2 pm to 5 pm at Calimna Orchards, 90 Minchin Rd, Ardmona. growersservices@fgv.com.au

Irrigation allocation for Goulburn-Murray Water’s Murray system has lifted to 100 per cent.

This takes all the major G-MW systems to 100 per cent for highreliability water.

Northern Victoria resource manager Mark Bailey attributed the Murray system increase to recent rain.

‘‘Late January and early February

rainfall boosted flows into the Murray storages and reduced losses,’’ Dr Bailey said.

‘‘The resulting resource improvement was enough to reach 100 per cent HRWS.

‘‘The last time all northern Victorian systems were at 100 per cent HRWS was in 2017-18.’’

Dr Bailey reminded entitlement holders the Murray’s milestone meant future 2020-21 seasonal determination updates would be released on a monthly basis.

‘‘In accordance with our policy, the next update of seasonal determinations will be released on Monday, March 15.

‘‘The likelihood of any of the Murray, Goulburn, Campaspe or Loddon systems receiving an allocation against LRWS this season is low,’’ he cautioned.

‘‘Sustained rainfall is needed to generate the necessary flows into the storages.

‘‘Both the Broken and Bullarook systems have reached the maximum possible seasonal determination this season and will not change.’’

Informing growers . . . Fruit Growers Victoria’s Michael Crisera will be part of an orchard walk helping growers wrap their heads around their disrupted industry.